In March a Labrador ran out from behind a hedge and I could not avoid hitting it with my car. Repairs cost £485. The dog was not harmed and the owner said it was insured through Ageas.

I told my insurer, More Than, and paid a £250 excess. Three months later Ageas told More Than that, as the dog had never run into the road before, the owner had not been negligent so it would not accept liability and refund the excess. AH, Walkern, Hertfordshire

Ageas wrote to you: "It is unreasonable to expect dog owners to keep their dogs locked up within the boundary of their own home", although by law every dog owner must take reasonable care to stop dogs straying on to a road. It insists the accident was unavoidable because the dog ran across the road when a neighbour called out to the owner.

More Than has contacted Ageas, trying to get the company to admit liability, but says Ageas is not responding. Ageas told me it will not pay.

You're not Ageas's customer so can't complain to the ombudsman about it, but you can if you think More Than should do more.

You can email Margaret Dibben at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Margaret Dibben, Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Please include a phone number.